Heels for footwear



Jan. 13, 1959 R. R. NAPPA HEELS FOR FOOTWEAR Filed March 18, 1957 INVENTOR RAUL QoDol-FO NAPPA mM/@d ATTORNEY 2,867,919 Patented Jan. 13, y1959 United States Patent Oflice HEELS FOR FOOTWEAR Raul Rodolfo Nappa, Montevideo, Uruguay Application March 18, 1957, Serial No. 646,591

v 4 Claims. (Cl. 36-24.5)

To the bottom face of the heel is secured a top lift, the

top lift being nailed to said wooden plug.

The shank portion is positioned in the shoe between the body portion of the shoe, includingthe inner sole, and the bottom sole.

By providing an integral shank and heel unit then there is provided a structure wherein the shank is rigidly attached to the heel avoiding the relative shifting between the heel and the shank which occurs in`conventional shoe structure. In the conventional shoe structure because of the relative movement between the shank and the heel, the shoe often fails at this point.

Furthermore, by constituting the heel and shank unit of the present invention from aluminum or plastic, the shoe is not subject to the deleterious effects of dampness which is a great cause of shoe failure in the prior art.

Furthermore, by providing such an integral heel and shank unit, the shank has sufficient surface area to render it possible to securely fasten thereto the various additional conventional shoe parts.

These and other advantages of the present invention are readily evident from the following description including reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the heel and shank unit of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of a shoe having included the shank and heel unit of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said shank and heel structure.

With particular reference to the drawing, the structure of the present invention comprises a heel 1 having integral therewith a shank portion 5. This unit is preferably formed from aluminum or other castable material such as plastic by conventional molding or casting technique.

There is provided in the lower portion of the heel 1 a central elongated longitudinal opening 11 which terminates in the bottom face 9 of the heel.

1 face of said heel, nailable material secured in and sub- Positioned within said opening 11 is a member or plug 7 composed of wood or other nailable material. To the bottom face 9 of heel 1 is secured top lift 10, which top lift is fastened to the heels by means of nails 12 which are driven through the top lift into the plug 7.

The portion of the shank 5 remote from the heel 1 terminates in a widened sole securing portion 6 having therein perforations 8. These perforations 8 are used to n secure the shank in the shoe between the inner sole 3 and the bottom sole 13.

In the upper portion of the heel section there is. provided a plurality of screws 4 which are used to fasten the upper portion of the shoe to the surface 2 of the heel and shank unit.

Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to high-heel womens shoes, it is obvious that it may be applied to any height heel or to mens or childrens shoes. By providing the heel and shank as an integral unit, it is possible to cast or shape the lower portion ofthe heel as narrowly desired and yet prevent the separation of the heel from the shank as occurs in conventional shoe structure.

lt is evident that'the present invention also provides means for easily replacing the leather top lifts when they become worn since it is only necessary to remove and nail the top lift to the heel in the conventional manner.

I claim:

1. A shank and heel unit for a shoe comprising a heel,

a shank integral with said heel, said heel having a central elongated longitudinal opening terminating in the bottom stantially filling said opening, the remainder of said heel being solid, and a top lift mounted on said bottom face of said heel and secured to said nailable material.

2. A shank and heel unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said shank includes a widened sole securing portion at vthe end thereof remote from said heel.

3. A shank and heel unit as recited in claim 2 wherein said shank and heel is aluminum and said nailable material is wood.

4. In a shoe, `an aluminum shank, an aluminum heel integral with said shank, the end of the shank remote from said heel including a widened sole securing portion, said heel having a central elongated longitudinal opening terminating in the bottom face of said heel, a wood plug in and substantially filling said opening, the remainder of said heel being solid, a top lift mounted on said bottom face of said heel and secured to said plug, and an inner and outer sole secured to the opposite surfaces of said shank.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,246,505 Varwig Nov. 13, 1917 1,453,253 Kurtis Apr. 24, 1923 2,208,822 Troy July 23, 1940 2,217,341 Kamborian Oct. 8, 1940 2,303,431 Brophy Dec. 1, 1942 2,349,374 Pym May 23, 1944 

